why does gene tell mr. prud'homme about the beach?

Answers
1

Gene reflects upon telling his teacher because it demonstrates the easy going atmosphere of the summer term.

"Summer lazed on. No one paid any attention to us. One day I found myself describing to Mr. Prud’homme how Phineas and I had slept on the beach, and he seemed to be quite interested in it, in all the details, so much so that he missed the point; that we had flatly broken a basic rule. No one cared, no one exercised any real discipline over us; we were on our own."